Board tightening tool



Dec. 24, 1957 Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 38 FIGnB 44 48 '24----------- 13 f 50 L i; K g is u 1Q FlG.4

IN VEN TOR.

DALE D. Hmocau-ren ATTO QNEYS 1957 D. D. HINDERLITER 2,817,

BOARD TIGHTENING TOOL Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets$heet 2 FIG. 2

IIIIII/IIA.

INVEN TOR. DALE D. H museum-m1 AT TO 2N EYS United States Patent BOARD TIGHTENING TOOL Dale D. Hinderliter, Canton, 1]]. Application October 28, 1955, Serial No. 543,329 1 Claim. (Cl. 254--17) This invention relates to a tool so designed as to permit a board to be forced toward an adjacent board, to form a close joint therebetween.

In many instances, boards are supposed to be in longitudinal contact with one another over their full length, but due to the fact that one of the boards may be warped, a desirably tight joint is diflicult to make. For example, on board fences wherein the fence comprises posts extending vertically and spaced uniform distances apart, and comprises further horizontally extending rails disposed in edge-contacting relation with one another, one of the fencing boards may be badly warped within its own plane, that is, in the direction of its width, making it impossible, under ordinary circumstances, to force said board against the board next adjacent the same. Warpage of this type, in fact, is very diflicult to overcome, since the entire width of the board must be flexed to eliminate the warped condition of the same. In other instances, as for example when laying subflooring or nailing up sheathing, the same situation may present itself, and the tool constituting the present invention has general application to any situation in which there is a conveniently located stud, joist support post, or the like on which the tool can be mounted, and in which there is also present a board warped or otherwise, which must be forced toward an adjacent board.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved tool for the purposes set forth above, usable with ease and facility, readily attachable to or detachable from an associated support post, and possessed of a high degree of strength in relation to the total amount of effort which must be expended by the user.

Another object of importance is to provide a tool as described wherein the construction is such as to permit the tool to be secured about posts varying from one another with respect to their cross sectional area or configuration.

Another object of importance is to provide a tool which can be used in association with a conventional board, which board is usable as a lever, and, following use of the tool, can be discarded or used elsewhere as desired, so that the tool itself comprises a relatively small, compact assembly which can be conveniently packed in a carpenters tool kit or the like.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claim appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the tool in use, an associated post and adjacent boards being illustrated fragmentarily;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tool, showing the side opposite that seen in Figure 1, the sheathing boards being shown in section;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tool in use; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool per se.

The illustrated tool comprises a post or joist engaging base in the form of a channel 9 having side flanges 11 and 13 and a web 15. Fixedly secured to the outer side of the flange 11 is an elongated loop 12 formed of strap metal material or the like. Formed. in the flange 11 are longitudinally spaced openings 14, 14 receiving the midlength portion of a cable 16, which can be a length of flexible steel cable or the like, said midlength portion of the cable, after being threaded through the openings in the manner shown in Figure 4, extending along the inner surface of the flange 11 with free end portions 17 and 19 of the cable reaching around the free edge of the flange 11 and passing through diametrically extending openings 20 formed in the end portions of a cylindrical, solid rod 22. Between the rod 22 and the terminal ends of the cable portions stop bevels 24 are secured to the cable portions 17 and 19 at selected locations thereon.

The intermediate portion of the rod 22 is journaled in a sleeve 28, and fixedly secured to and projecting radially outwardly from sleeve 28 is a lever 30 formed of a length of solid or tubular bar stock and having intermediate its ends a notch 32.

Secured to the outer side of the flange 13 of the channel 9 is an angle bracket 34, and pivotally mounted at 36 (see Figure 1) 0n the bracket is an arm 38 axially twisted intermediate its ends to provide a free end portion 40 lying approximately in a plane normal to the plane of rotation or pivotal movement of the arm. The outer end portion 40, as shown in Figure 3, terminates at its free end in a laterally curving dog 42 engageable in the notch 32 of the lever 30 when the tool is in use.

Welded or otherwise fixedly secured to and projecting laterally from the sleeve 28 is an eye 44, in which is loosely engaged a chain link 46, adapted to engage in an obliquely extended notch 48 formed in the outer free edge of the bracket 34.

The tool is shown in use, in association with a vertically extending stud 5'0 and a pair of superposed sheathing boards 52, 54. The board 54 is illustrated as warped in a widthwise direction, and the tool is attached to the stud 50 for the purpose of forcing said board 54 into longitudinally contacting relation, over its full length, with the lower board 52.

In use, the channel member is placed against the stud or post 50, and the ends of the cable are extended about the stud as shown in Figure 3. With the sleeve 28 in engagement with the adjacent face of the stud, the handle 30 is grasped and the link 46 positioned in the notch 48. A preadjustment of the position of the stop blocks would be made, to dispose said blocks against the bar 22, but the portion of the cable between the bar 22 and the channel member would not be so shortened as to prevent the positioning of the link 46 in the notch 48.

Then, with the links so engaged, the handle 30 is rocked counterclockwise in Figure 3, and this will cause the handle to initially turn upon the sleeve 28 as a fulcrum, with said sleeve then sliding to the right in Figure 3, pivoting about the connection between the link 46 and eye 44, which now becomes the fulcrum, thus exerting a strong pull upon the end portions of the cable, tending to tension said cable about the stud.

With the cable under tension, the handle 30 will have been rockably positioned sufficiently to permit the arm 38, 40, 42 to be engaged in the notch 32, so that the handle 30 is held against return pivotal movement in a clockwise direction in Figure 3.

The tool is thus firmly clamped about the stud, and a board 56 can now be extended through the metal loop 12. The board 56 is abutted along its lower edge against the top edge of the board 54 in the manner shown in Figure 2, and rocks downwardly at its free end, pivoting against the top portion of loop 12, so as to exert a strong leverage against the upper edge of the warped board 54, pressing said warped board downwardly into full contact with the board 52. When the board 54- has been shifted downwardly to the necessary extent, it can be held in this position by continued pressure on the board 56., while being nailed to the stud, after which the tool can be removed. Removal of the tool is accomplished merely by rocking handle 30, viewing the same as in Figure 3, in a counterclockwise direction to an extent just sutficient to disengage finger 42 from notch 32, thus disengaging the arm from the handle and causing the device to be loosened upon the stud.

The tool, of course, has general application, and can be used in fence building, as Well as in the erection of structures requiring the use of longitudinally contacting boards.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a tool of the character described, a post embracing channel having first and second side flanges having free longitudinal edges, an elongated loop on the outer side of said first side flange and extending along the channel, cable portions secured to said first flange, at points spaced longitudinally along said first flange, said cable portions having terminal ends, a longitudinal bar having opposite ends slidably traversed by said cable portions, longitudinally adjustable stop blocks secured on said cable portions between said rod and the terminal ends of the cable portions, a laterally projecting bracket on the outer side of said second side flange of the channel, said bracket having a free outer edge, an arm having an inner end pivotally mounted on said bracket and an outer end portion terminating in a lateral dog, said outer free edge having an angulated notch therein, a sleeve journaled on said rod between the ends thereof, a fixed radial lever on said sleeve, a link pivoted on said sleeve for engagement in said angulated notch, another notch in said lever with which said dog is engageable, and a board narrower than said loop inserted through the loop and arranged to be rocked relative to the channel on a portion of the loop serving as a fulcrum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 164,754 Moss June 22, 1875 607,567 lordon July 19, 1898 1,283,209 Kimble Oct. 29, 1918 2,438,766 Rifenberg Mar. 30, 1948 

